Material-handling apparatus



June l2, 1928.

J. c. HODGE MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS QS S,

June 12, 1928.

J. C. HODGE MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed July s1, 1926 4 sheets-sheet' 2 NNY June l2, 19x28.

J. C. HODGE MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed July 3l, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet I5 e 0. 1 m6. ,m J/ M www@ n, ww mw M x.. w QM, MQ w JQ J ww vm l L. mm, m@ uw n @Q June l2, 1928.

J. C. HODGE MATERIAL HANDLING. APPARATUS e f wm; WHW. m6. o m J/ Am m SQ Patented June 12, 1928.

1,673,284 PATENT emes JOHN CAMPBELL Honest. or Grimace. immers,l Asstenon. 'rov WESTERN ELEornro COMPANY, INcoRronArnn, on NEW. 3ro-nx, n.-

A conronilrron' on'NnW YORK.

i MnrERrAL-nA-CNDLING ingenieros Application' kled July 3 1, 1926; Serial No; 126,164;

rI-his invention relates 1to-materiafl han@I dling' apparatus,` andl more particularly to strand 'twistingv or strandinig apparatus used? in: thel manufacture-ot multi-strand cables y The object of this invention-iste provide a material'handling apparatus wherein the starting and stopping otthe variouszoper-A ating partsarecojntrolledin an ellicient and economical manner.'

In accordance 'with the generali features of this invention as. applied toa strandin'g apparatus used' in the manufacture off telephone cables, there is provided? an' interlock mechanism" betweenl a capstan and a` takeup reel which is' operatfedfin.` a delinitev ses quence to'tirst associate the take-up reel drive mechanism Witfhthe main driving elef ment following 'which' theY main clutch-"mayl be actuated t'oAoperatiyely connect the"` capstan and' the' other operating partsA ofi the strander including the 'take-up reel'v dniVe mechanism to the main driving element. Siinultaneously4 With the operation off the clutch to cause the strander tooper'ate, meclr anisinl is actuatedv for releasing a' brake' as? sociat'ed:L with the main driving element", the mechanism al'soi serving' to;v apply.V the brake to quicklyy stop; the strandenuponiaA reverse operation of the clutcln y @ther' objects and advantages of: this in'- Ventionfwill more fully'appearY from; the accompanying detailed descriptionv taken in connection with Vthe accompanying drawings," in which Fig, 1 is a Jfragmentary.'front View,j of a telephone cable `stranding apparatus ernbedying the features offthisinvention; n

Fig. 2 is avertical sectional? View of the clutch control box;

Fig. 3 isa fragmentary section partly in elevation on the line 3 3 thereof;

Fig. 45 is a *fragment-ary section partly in elevation onthe-line Z,li-aofi Figi; 2';

Figs. 5, '6` andg E are sections onthe line 5 5 of Fig. 3 showing dilerent positions of the inter-control elements;

Fig-g 8' is a Jnraginentary sectional.. plan View of the main clutch;

Fig; 9 is' side View ofthe brake mechaL nismy applied tothe driven. member of: the' main' clutchi;

Fig. 10' is an end section;

Fig; l1. is a schematiczskeletnnized: viewg partly' im sectionT of" the driyingf mechanism View thereof partly in for the stranding apparatusV showing the inter-control mechanism: between the' capstan; and'. the' taire-up reel' drives and for operat :ing the brake mechanism, and

F1g.i12iisa fragmentary sideview thereof.

TheI features oli this| invention have been shown;` embodied; inv a; stramdingf apparatus such as used in. the. manufactune of: tele#v phonev cables', which: apparatus'k being of. a Well linoiwni type:A has beenfillustrated in schematic Jiorm.. l Ehe apparatus-as far. as is vmaterial to this invention', consistsof. one

or more similar stranding units- (ilT-gsf'lf and l1) each comprisinga; `suitabllyy re volyably journal'ed drinn 1i6` supporting. a pluralityl ofi spools of Wine (fnot, shown),l to be stranded into a cableT the' drum carrying at. eachi endY a'y ring' gear 17, which is:y opera# tirvely connected. tov ai driving` mechanism to be described hereinafter'.v lit is thought.- a further description ot the drtun` 16 is unnecessaryg,.1for ai reference; be had to Eatent 1,579,762. to J'ones. dated April 6, 19.2.65 for a morel detailed descrip:- tion thereof; Attached. toi the right endof the' right unit 15, as` Viewedl in: Fig. 1, isa stationary polisher: 18 through whichv Wires 19-I fromft-hc: supply spools ane drawn in being` formed into;V a cable 2f). The vWires` 19 are: Withdrawn from; their supply Ispools drawnv through. the; stranding; drum 16I and thence through the above mentionedi polishen by 'ai poWeii d-niven capStilIlr 22, the stranded: cable 20 being Wound upon a power) diiivenytake-up; reel 23; carried upon a` truck. 2.4

Intermediate' the; capstaln 212,1 and, the,v reel 23fis-.a standardi25 supporting.' a distributing mechanism 26 fon feeding, the cablel .2()V as delivered from; theV Gansta-n; 2.2@ the rotating reel; 23. in;4 such a' mannen thatv thecable; is coiled theneon ini close; einen spirals. 'Ehe cablein passing. -romdjhe capstanto theQneel nests upon 'ai travers-ing; arm 28/Whieh iscon@ trolledfby aider/ice 29,reciprocatedib56 anight and left. hand, scr-ew 3Q. whereby the. arml ismovied upwardly-i and downgwandly to guide the cable to: the reel. 23.. Thisemechanismis of. af. well; known type andtherefore does not requirie detailed description', as. it. formsg nio part i. the? present intention;

The drinn 1.6i, capstani 22,2 bake-'uni neel 23 i and; distributing 'screw 3.05am; operatedK from ai motor; 3.1 (Eig. 111)@ im thehumpingmank ner.. Referring patticulanlj' Figs?" 8? and:

11, a shaft 32 is extended from the motor 3l and slidably carried thereon but rotatably fixed thereto as indicated by the spline connection 33 kis a driving member 34 of a single plate friction clutch A. driven member 38 of the clutch, in addition toforming a housing therefor, providesa circular braking surface 39which will hereinafter be referred to. `Slidably carried upon the shaft 32V and free to rotate thereon, is a sleeve 40 providedv withv an annular external flange upon `its left end (Fig. 8) upon which is similarly mounted a sleeve 41 provided with an annular internal flange formed yupon the right end thereof, which in the position shown engages the flange upon the sleeve 40. rlhe sleeve 4lv at its left end is formed with a peripheral channel 42 and operatively assoi ciated therein is a pluralityof equally spaced gaged position of the clutch as shown in Fig.

toggle arms 43, one of which shows in the drawings;r (Fig. 8). The'arrns 43 are each pivotally connected to the driven member 38 as indicated at 44 and to a shoe 47 as indicated at 48. The shoes 47 engage inclined faces formed upon a ring shaped friction plate 49. Upon yopposite faces of the drivingmemher 34 are rings 50 composed of any suitable friction material which inthe en- 8 are in clutching relation with opposite faces of a wall of the driving member 34,4

the driven member 38 and withthe ring 49. To provide a necessary pressure between the friction clutch surfaces aspira-l vtelescopic s rin@r 5l is `inter osed'between a'vertical wall'forined uponthe sleeve 41 anda de` pression formed in the right end wall of the driven member 38. In the operated position of theclutch as shown in Fig. 8, the spring 5l has expanded and moved the sleeve 41 tothe left, rocking the toggle arins 43 in a counter-clockwise direction and thereby causing the slices 47 to press against the inclined faces upon the friction ring 49 to give a clutchinoeEect between the driving and driven members 34 and 38 respectively through the interposed friction rings 5i). Theoperation of the clutch is effected through the rocking of a yoke 52 secured to through the cooperating flanges formedv upon the sleeves40'and 41.1 Thismovement of the sleeve 41 compresses the spring 51 andV rocksV the toggl'earms k43 clockwise about their pivots 44, thereby releasing thepressure of kthe shoes 47 upon the friction ring 49 and consequently causing the disengagement of the clutch driving and driven members.

The operative drive from the driven meinber 38 of the clutch tothe ring gears 17 of the strander drum 16 comprises the following. Referringto Fig. ll, the driven meinber 38 upon its left end is provided with a sleeve portion I57 to which is secured a sprocket 59 which drives to a line shaft 60 through'a chain and sprocket 6l, the shaft extending substantially lthe full length of the stranding apparatus, the purpose of which'will be made apparent as this description progresses.A Gear pinions 62 carried upon the shaft` 60 drive to the ring gears 17 through idler gears V63. n i i It is desirable upon the disengagement of the clutch, due to the inertia of the rotating stranding apparatus, to applyv a braking force .thereto to quickly stop the rotation thereof and upon engagement of the clutch to -simultaneously release the brake.v Referring to `Figs. 9 and l0, the shaft 32, the clutch and the associated brake mechanism to be presently described are carried upon a vertical frame 64, the shaft 32 being rotatably journaled in bearings 65 carried upon the u per surface of the frame., Attached to the frame 64 to the left4 of the driven'clutchL member 38 is an air cylinder 66 having a piston .67. A rod 68 secured to the pistonv extends upwardly from the vcylinder 66 and is pivotally connected to one end of a lever 69 which is secured to a shaft 70 rotatably journaled in a bracket 7l attached to the frame. 64 yintermediate the bearings Attached. to the opposite end of tlieishaftf() is a second lever 72 to the free'end of which is secured one end of a brake band73 comprising a steel band provided with a facing of any` suitableI friction material which contacts with the braking surface 39 ofthe driven clutch member.' 38. The opposite end of the brake bandf73 is attached to the lower end of a. threaded vrod 75 yieldably fixed to a horizontally-T disposed stationary pin 76, as clearly indicated in the drawings. A tension spring 77, opposite ends of which are attached to the lever and the air cylinder 66, serves-to relax the brake band 73 upon the braking surface -39 upon release of the brake mechanism. Disposed at opposite ends of the shaft 53 are levers 78 and 79. .K t

The free end `of the lever 79 carries an adjustable pin 82, the Vengaging end ofv which is arranged to contact with a valve stem 83 of a valve 84.0f any usual and well known type, for controlling the passage of air under pressure from a main air line 85 which may be connected to a suitable sup-` ply source (not shown), the valve beingl carried upon a bracket'86. The outlet end of the valve 84 is connected to the lower end of the air cylinder 66 by an air line 89. The

lever 781 at its lower end' is pi'votall)T con'- nected to a lever aindlinlr mechanismftobe described in detail"ltereina-iter; `si hereinbefore mentionedrv the clutch members are shown in' an engaged position, consequently the braking lneclianisnratV this time ris inoperative. This condition oi"A14 the latter mechanism is indicated in thc drawings by the gap between the outerends otthevalve stem SSand the pin 82, a spring (not shown) maY be provided to insure the closingA of the valve, although the pressure otfthe'air in the valve is generally sufficient for this purpose. As hereinbetore described,l the clutch is disengaged bv rocking the-yoke 521 clockwise which operation is accomplished by a movement ot the lower end' of the lever 78 toward the left" as viewed in Figs. 9i and 12; The pin 82 upon the lever 79 thus engages the valve stemand against the action of the spring (not shown) opens the valve 8e --therebj7 causingthe braking mechanism hereinbetore described to be vactuated and thus quickly stopping the rotation of' the stranding apparatus.y

Referring to Fig. 11 power is transmitted from the line shaft tothe capst'an 2 2 for operating the latter at theV desired speed and direction VgearingI The' right and left hand distributing screw shaft 80 and the take-up reel 2'3"'ar'e also operated from the line shat'tSOinthe tollox'viiig''manner. rihe shaft '60"Y has fixed thereto' at its eXtreme right end a: sprocket 915,v which drives throuvgfhl a: chain 92,tofa Ysprocket' 93, which as cl'early'shown in Fig; 12( is'v positioned therebelow, the chain entending"upwardlj7 through an openingprovided inthe Hoor. The lsprocket 93 is secured to 4a stub sha-tt Qewhich through a pinionfflatta-ched thereto and', suitable gearing v97j'furnishes motion to the distributingr screw sha-'tft 304. A t its extreme right end the'shatt- 94]' carries a worm 98 which meshes with afworm wheelv` 99, the latter-being splined" toa 'ver-"- tical shaft 100 as indicatedl atl'1011". Fixed to the upper end ofthe shaftv` 100 is a jaw clutch member 104. flttachedth -theshaft 1.00 intermediate the worm wheel'99 and the member 101' isY a collar 105 provide-d with an open annularV channel andextend'- ing thereinto ati diametri'cally v'opposite points are pins 106 securedfto Vthe bitgur'- cated ends of ayole member 10T. ln the inoperative positionv of the clutch member 104 the upper surface thereof li'es substantially flush with the floor'line but` ini its clutched position as shown in'Figs. 1v and 12 it has been movedupwardl'y through actuation of the yoke member 107;V the operation ofwhich will be presentlyy described', and into clutching relationship'with'aclutch member 10S secured'to a shaft'lll journaled upon the reel truck 241, thespline 101 permitting the upward movement of the shaft 1005y The reel '23- is suitably` att-ached for y rotation with thefshaft 1100j which?"'hasv been centered with respect to the clutch member 10e. Tov tacilitatefthe centering off the truck 24e and r'etz'tining`v it in 'positioni there are provided guide"sti'fipsl 1,121 secured? tothe floor and a centering pin 113' carried. upon an arm 114 adjustably mounted' for vertical movement upon'the standard 251, the| pin 113 being? arranged telen-ter 'a socket (not shown) providedfin the? upper endf of the reel"'23v and in` axial alignment withy the shaft 111 (Figi-.f 1)f.' From thefabove de# scriptionit will be apparent upon closing the main clutch 351 in 'the mannerherein? before described; the motoril 3 1' havingf'been previously caused to operate, that the one or! morestranderunits 11,`the capstany 22, the distributor* shaftBOf and' the take-up reel' 23 will all? operate unison. i"

The means for operativelye'ngaging the take-up ne'el"clutchmembers` 104' andi'l08 and themembers 341-" andj 38-o they mai'n drive cl'ut'clr"85"i"n 'ai predetermined d'eilnitef'sequenc'e comprises the followingfleveran'd link'nechanism.

y'Disposed' between thetapstan 22 and the distributing "mechanism: 26f"and l Vmounted upon the floor" atfa" convenient'l operating point (Fig. 1)' isahous'ing11i6'fwhich sup-,

ports the take-up reel and( main olutchioperatingA handi levers 11G' and'llSf respectively and; housesan inter-'control mechanism associat'edtherebetween'.'4 Thelever's 1.17 and 118 are; shown in`\ their operated? positions',

p their associated clutkzlnesn as hereinbefore described' being shown in 'operative condition.

rod`v` 119moui1ted" uponl the uppeifportion of the housing and are 'adaptedto be sepa? ratelyv retainedfin ali-operated positionI (Fig. 2)?f or'tripped-'therefrom by 'detent and tripping devices 12()1individ'ual-l toe'aoh,y the inoperative position 'o-ffthe* levers-beingindie cated? in 'dotted' outline.4 rPhe"s leveii 1175-' iiiterinediateits! pivotal point and? the handle portion thereofA is connected to" aiy depending link rodi123 connected atits-'lowe'r endiftoy an arm 122e` inturn attached to one! end? ofja rock sleeve-'125 which? carfrli'es Yat its'- oppositeextremityan arm` 126 (Figs. 1'1 and 12)",` the rock' sleeve 1251 being.` journaled u'pon ab rock` shaft'1127.r 'Ilhe-'rock shaft 127, asi will be' more fully describedhereinafter, controls the operation oi' the main cliiteh 35 through the actuation'y of'fthel yoke 52. The ar1n1126-is-fconnected tolone aiimofa bellf crank lever 130fbfyf ay link.y rodf131l, theA lever 130"be'ing' journaled. upon a bracket (not shown) mountedu'pon` the-floor." 'Ehe other arm fof! the*- bell crank-leverlBO is. connectedi'to one end of" a' depending. link rod 132 which extends through. an. opening in the floor,"` the opposite/extremity' of' the nod being connected to one end of a lever 133 Y 119. rlhe inner abutting end which is attached to one end of a rock shaft 134 carrying at 1 its opposite end the' yoke member 107. v jv The means for transmitting motion from the rock shaft 127to the yoke 52 which controls thek main clutch 35 will now be described.l The lever 118 at its left end (Fig. 2) is vconnected to a depending link rod 137 connected at its lower extremity to an arm 138 attached to one end of the rockrshaft 127. An arm 139 (Figs. 411 and` 12) fixed to the shaft 127 lat the opposite end is connected to the lower arm of .a leverr 140 journaled upony a bracket (not. shown) mounted upon the floor't-hrough a link rod 142, the upper arml of the lever 140 beingA connected tothe lower "extremityI of the lever 78 by a link rod 143. The leverage of the motion transmitting means just described connectedto the hand levers .-117 and 118 at one end and to the clutchyokes 107 and 52 respectively 'at their opposite ends is such that upon movement of the levers from their normal position (dotted outline Fig. 2) to their operated position shown inV full lines the take-up reel and main drive clutches will be engaged in the manner hereinbefore described and upon Va reverse movement disengaged Referringnow to Figs. 3, 5, 6 and 7, it will be noted t-hat thelevers 117 and 118 are provided with coaxial bearing or sleeve portions 146 and- 147 yrespectively which in the movement of the levers rotate u on the rod tiaces of the sleeve portions 146 and 147 are provided with interlocking jawsy 1478'and 149 respectively, the gaps between the jaws of each sleeve portion being wider than the jaws. In Fig. 5 ,is illustrated the relative position of the interlocking jaws 148-and 149 with the levers in their normal position, the stranding apparatus being idle while Fig. 7 shows the relative position of the parts with the takeup reel and main drive `clutches engaged. With this interlocking construction an operator cannot movethe main drive clutch operating lever 118 clockwise from its nor'- mal position (dotted outline Fig. 2) toy its' operated position without iirst engaging-theY take-up reel clutch, as hereinbefore described, and which is accomplished by moving the lever clockwise from its dotted outline position (Fig. 2) to the full line position thereof. This will be readily apparent by referring to Fig. 5 wherein it will be noted that no gap occurs between the adjacent sides oi' the jaws 149 and 148 which will permit the jaws 149 integral with the lever 118 to move clockwise but'a gap 150 does occur between `the opposite adjacent sides ofthe jaws. Thus when the apparatus is ready for the stranding operation the operator first grasps the lever 117, trips the detent mechanism 120 and presses down upon the lever whichy rota-tes the jaws 148 clockwise thereby closing nipulated in a similar manner thus rotating the jaws 149 clockwise and closing the gaps 151 and through the associated leverage system closingthe main drive clutch 35. The last position of the interlocking elements is clearly illustrated in vFig. 7. Vhenv stopping the stranding apparatus the main drive clutch `35 can only beopened by operating the levers 117 and 118 in reverse order to that just described ,for starting the apparatus. j Y

'i It is evident that with this invention the rotary drums 16 together with the capstan 22 which serves to draw the wires 19 therefrom Jfor forming the cable 20 cannot be set in motion without iirsty completing an operative connection betweenthe then idle driving mechanism and the take-up reel 23, thus providing against lossy of time' and possible damage to the cable 20. Also upon completion ofthe stranding operation the main drive clutch 35 has to be first disengaged before the take-up reel clutch member 104 sov can be disengaged from the clutch member 108 carried `by the take-up reel 23 thereby preventing damage, likely tov occur, if the drivingy and driven members 104 and 108 y respectively were' disengagedduring motion 'of the driven ,member 104 through the engagement of the clutch 35.

VFrom the description hereinbefore given. oi the brake mechanism `associated with the.

driven member 38 of the clutch 35 and the A actuating means therefor', it will be evident that upon movement of the clutch operating Alever 118 from ,its normal position to its `the driving means to the receiving means,

and individual controlling `means for the ydriving means. and the driving connectionfrom the driving means Vto the receiving means, each acting in one position to control the actuation of the other. Y

f2. In a strand working apparatus, strand working means, means for receiving worked strand therefrom, driving means for the working means, a driving connection including a clutch device between the driving means and the-receiving means, and individual interlocking controlling means for the driving means and the clutch device for limiting the actuation of the latter means to a predetermined sequence.

3. In a strand workingapparatus, strand working mea-ns, means for receiving worked strand therefrom, driving means for the working means, a driving connection from t-he driving means to the receiving means, individual clutch devices for connecting the driving means to the Working means and the driving connection from the driving means to the receiving means, and individual controlling means for the individual clutch devices, each acting in one position to control the actuation of the other.

4. In a strand working apparatus, strand working means, means for receiving worked strand therefrom, driving means for the working means, a driving connection from the driving means to the receiving means, individual means for forming an operative connection `between the working and driving means and between the driving connection and the receiving means, and manually actuated individual members 'for controlling thek strand therefrom, driving means lor the working means, a driving connection from the driving means to the receiving means, individual means for forming an operative connection between the working and driving means and between the driving connection and the receiving means, and coaxially mounted manually actuated levers for conl trolling the individual means, the levers being provided upon axial aligned parallel faces with interlocking jaws with the gaps bet-Ween the jaws of each face being wider than the jaws for limiting the actuation of the levers to a predetermined sequence.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 24 day of July A. D., 1926.

JOHN CAMPBELL I-IODGE. 

